Bumper



BUMPER Filed Maron 6, 1928 2 sheets-sheet l 2 INVEN TOR' Z G-:IORGE ALBERrLyo/v mmwm ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1930 i.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE f H GEORGEKALBERT LYON, vor ALLENHURST, NEW annsnxnssreNoR, BY MRsNR ASSIGN- MENTS,- rro AMERICANOHAIN coMrANY, INo.,A CORPORATION or NRW YORK and vout ofkv alignment when the bumpel` is in a collision. f v

' BUMPER ,Application filed March 6, 192,8. Serial No. 259,402.

f This invention relates to automobile bumpers and more particularly to a device for holding the bars of a multifbar bumper in rigid alignment.

Asis well known in theart, connectors havyingfront and rear plates which are clamped about the bars of a bumper are used to secure the bars of the front or impact section of" a bumper to the rear or supporting bar. These connectors have a disadvantage in that theyfwork loose or bend and permit the barsof'the impact section to be forced apart Anotherdisadvantageis that of the noise caused by rattling ofthe plates'when the parts become loosened'.

` It is therefore the'principal object ofthis invention to provide a connector which will rigidly secure the bars of a multi-bar bumper j in vertical alignment and prevent them from horizontal ory vertical displacement.

Another object lis tofprovide a connector which will securely hold the bars of the impact section in such a mannerthatthey will act as a'unitaryy structure. n y Av still further Object is toprovide a connector2 which will securely hold the' impact bars of a multi-bar bumper from working loose and thereby rattling.

A clear conception of the construction and further objects of this invention may be had from the following specilication in conjunc-V tion' with the accompanying drawings, in

which jy Fig. lis a plan view'of a bumper embodying the invention;

vfied form 'of connector;

Fig.4 9 is a rear view of Fig. 8;

Fig. l0 is a cross-section through 10-10 of Fig. 9.

The bumper shown in Figsxl, 2 and 3 is of the multi-bar type, having an impact structure comprising two bar portions 1 and 2 which are preferably formed of a continuous strip of spring steel having its end portions bent rearwardly and inwardly as shown at 3 in Fig. l. A rear bar 4, preferably formed substantially as shown, is secured at its eX- treme ends to the end portions 3 suitably, as for example, by. bolts or, as shown, by

r`means of rivets. Thev center portion of member and is'secured thereto by a connector hereinafter described. It is to be understood that this type of connector may be used on any form vof multi-bar bumper and is only limited by the formation of the rear bar.

Theconnector comprises vtwo metal plates 7 and 8 which are disposed at the front and rear. of the impact sections and are preferably each provided with a hole for a fastener such as a bolt or, as shown, the rivet 9.

A hole is also provided in the center of the' back bar 4 through which the rivet 9 passes, thereby securing the plates 7 and 8 and the bar 41 together as shown in Fig. 4. The plate 8 is secured metallically as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to therear of the bars l and 2 at points l0. This metallic union of the plate 8 to the impact bars is preferably accomplished by spot-welding at the points 10 and constitutes the plate8 an integral part of the impact bars l and 2, thereby securely joining the two bars together and forming a unitary structure. y

The welding of the plate 8 to bars l and 2 .forms a union which, if correctly made, will endure as long as the bumper andvwill not work loose due to vibration. This rigid union prevents the bars l and 2 from ying n eled at which time the plate 7 is used to cover the spot-welding. If desired, the ront plate may be omitted without in any way hampering the action of the connector.

In assembling the bumper, the rear bar 4 i is preferably introduced fromY the front of rthe bumper and is then secured at its endsA to the curved portion 3 bythe rivets 5 and at its center to the plate 8 by rivet 9.

The spot Welding of plate 8 may be performed after the impact bars have been nickany disfigurement. 'Ihe welding may also be done before the bars are polished and nickeled thereby obviating any chance of lniarring the nickel and thereby doing away with the necessity of plate 7. v

The modified form of connector shown in Figs. 5, 6v and 7 embodies the same features and therefore the same designating numerals will be used to simplify the description.

rIlhe rear plate 11 is formedas shown with the channel-shaped ears 12.l 'Ihe channel section of the ears 12 is of a suiicient width to accommodate a back bar which, in this particular type, is formed of two. portions 4 and 4. bolted to the ears of plate 11 by means oit bolts 13 and are held inborizontal alignment.`

by the edges of the channel section. It is obvious that this type of clamp may be used with a single ba'clrbar'which is bolted to the ears 12 of plate 11 by the bolts 9 and 13. The plate 11 isspot-welded to thebars 1 and 2 at -10 inta similar manner to that described above, andthe front plate 7 is secured to plate l 11 by bolt 9.

lel. rIhe rear plate 14 is formed with ears 15 which are bent as shown to accommodate Y the nutll and are channel-shaped in their end portion to form a socket to accommodate the ends of the rear bars4 and 4 as shown inA Fig. 9. The ears 15 near their extremity are provided with holes for a purpose hereinafter described. In assembling this type of connector, the plate 14 is spot-welded to the bars land 2 at 10, and the front plate 7 is then secured to the bars by bolt 9.and nut 16. The ends of bars 4 and 4 are provided with holes which coincide with the holes in the ears 15 above mentioned. A bolt 17 is passed through the holes, and the ears 15 are drawn up into close engagement with the ends of bars 4 and 4. 'Ihe bars are thus held in horizontal alignment by the'channeled ends of ears 15.

It is obvious from the above descriptiony The ends of thevback bars; arey application. 1

that this type of connector forms a means for rigidly securing the bars of a multi-bar bumper in both vertical and horizontal alignment and forms a permanent rigid connection between the separate bars of the impact section and the rear bar. Y Y

Iclaim: f

1.v In a bumper, an impact section comprising a plurality of impact bar portions spaced rl in vertical alignment, a rear bar having its ends secured to the ends'of said impact section, a connector comprising twoplates, one of said plates being welded to said impact bar portions respectively at a region intermediate the ends of said impact section to form a unit-ary impact section, and means for securing the other of Asaid plates in position section. Y

2. In a bumper, an yimpact section comprising a plurality of impact bar portions spaced in vertical alignment, a rear bar, a connector comprising two plates, one of said plates being weld-ed to lthe rear of said impact bar portions to form anV integral structure, and means to cover the welded portions of said impact for securing the otherof said platesto saidV rear plate and against the front ofsaid impact section in position to cover the Welded portion of said impact section.

3. In a bumper, an 'impact section compris- Y iiig a plurality of impact bar portions spacedY in vertical alignment, a rearbar, a` connector comprising two plates, one of said plates bei ing welded tottherear of said impact bar portions, and a bolt for securing the other of said plates to said rear plate and against the front oit said impact'section in Ya position to cover the welded portion of said impact section. Y o

4. In a bumper, an impact section made of strip` steel -formedinto a plurality ofvertiplate being adapted to be ,welded tov theimpactbars of a multi-'bar bumper to hold said bars from vertical displacement, a rear bar for said bumper, the ends of which are se-V cured tothe ends of said impact section, and

the mid portion of which is held in horizontal alignment by saidears, and means for sesaid ears. l

Inv testimony whereof, I have signed this curing said rear bar in the channel section of GEORGE ALBERT LYON.' 

